Diversity in

Teams
Team Building for Diverse Work
Groups
Chapters 1 & 2
 Teamwork
We have talked about many issues that
affect teamwork
On an individual basis: traits, ability,
motivation,
On a group basis: roles, norms, conflict
Things that we can do to help teams such as
active listening, understanding non-verbal cues,
avoiding killer phrases, conducting effective
meetings
We will now turn our attention to an
inherent and permeating topic of discussion
DIVERSITY IN TEAMS
 Diversity

What does diversity, in your opinion

mean?

What are some examples of things

that make us diverse?
 Diversity
Diversity became a substantial issue
in the workforce as the percentages
of women, people of color, and
immigrants entered the workforce.
At one point, the melting-pot theory
was embraced: assimilation
Thus, as time passed the definition of
diversity expanded from differences
in race, color and gender
 Diversity
Differences among individuals concern

Race Parental/family status

Gender Geographic origin
Age Ethnic group
Language Religion
Disability Sexual orientation
Culture
 Diversity
Diversity can also encompass
differences work ethic, personality,
functional specialty, expertise, etc.
This part of the course will revolve
around the differences in the previous
slide, most notably cultural
differences, as they heavily influence
behavior and communication

What is culture?
 Culture
The rules and customs that
individuals live by, that are passed
from generation to generation
Includes attitudes, values,
communication styles, patterns of
thinking, & behavior
Learned from interactions with larger
social units such as family, friends, etc.
In itself, culture is a team concept, as
there are norms & roles in culture
 Cross-Cultural Issues
The Global Village
Global competition
Business without national boundaries
Multinational corporations
Enabled by technology
Understanding practices in a social
context
Therefore, companies must prepare
individuals for global assignments
Diversity at Home: Immigration

Sources of immigrants to the U.S. in 2000

Challenges of Understanding
Different Cultures
Language
Comprehension
Embarrassment
Product names
Communications programs
Memos, handbooks, messages, ESL
Values, morals, customs, laws
Culture variables
Status differentiation
Societal uncertainty
Assertiveness
 Multicultural Team Building
Key issues that organizations face
when dealing with such teams include
Employee conflict management (how to
handle conflict and communication)
Team building (dealing with differences in
teams)
Training (diversity, sensitivity training)
Recruiting (emphasizing tolerance and
communication as a required skill)
 Aspects of culture that
determine behavior
Your text lists a number, including
Competition vs. harmony
Formality vs. informality
Risk-taking vs. risk avoidance
There are a number of dimensions that
differ from culture to culture
Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions
Masculinity/Feminity
Individualism/Collectivism
Uncertainty Avoidance
Power Distance
Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation
 Benefits of Diversity in
Teams
Research has shown that diverse
teams can produce
A wider pool of skills
Increased creativity
Improved decision-making
Various ideas coming from different
perspectives
Diversity can be an advantage, as
long as obstacles and barriers can be
overcome
 EEO Compliance
Another reason to embrace and learn
the skills to deal with diversity is EEO
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Jurisdiction legislation that covers charges of
discrimination based on race, color, sex,
national origin, age or disability
The arm of the federal government empowered
to handle discrimination in employment cases
Adverse (disparate) treatment
occurs when members of a protected group are
treated differently than other employees.
Types of Charges filed with
the EEOC in 2001
Identifying Barriers to Team
Effectiveness
The following may be barriers to
personal interaction and subsequent
team effectiveness
Discomfort with differences
Stereotypes
Biases against the unfamiliar
Language differences
Cultural baggage